Top 10 outdoor things to do in Cape Town

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With abundant natural beauty under regular blue skies, it’s hard to spend time indoors in the ‘Mother City’. Swim with penguins, try surfing or relax at a wine farm - outdoor Cape Town has so much to offer.

Rotating lift to city views on Table Mountain

A rotating cable car lifts visitors to the top of Table Mountain for jaw-dropping views of the city and beyond. At the top, numerous vantage points let you snap pictures of Cape Town from every angle. Active visitors can choose to walk or even abseil down.

Lower Cable Station, Tafelberg Road, Cape Town 8100

Music and flora at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

Spreading over 528 hectares, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens house a variety of indigenous flora and a fragrance garden. . In summer the neatly tended lawns come alive with music concerts and in winter breakfast is served with a classical accompaniment.

Rhodes Drive, Newlands, 7700

Groot Constantia – the Cape’s Oldest Wine Farm

Visitors can put fruity, sweet, dry and full-bodied wines are to the test at the three-century-old Groot Constantia. Perennially in vogue, this wine farm is also home to intriguing exhibits, a historic cellar and an original alfresco bath.

Groot Constantia Road, Constantia, 7806

Muizenberg Beach - surfers’ hotspot

A bustling seaside town in its Victorian heyday, Muizenberg is Cape Town’s favourite spot to catch the perfect wave. Superb surfing conditions attract international pros and the surf school-lined Surfer’s Corner tempts beginners.

Scenic drive of Chapman’s Peak

Lined by rocky cliffs on one side and the ocean on the other, the zigzag drive around Chapman’s Peak is one of the most scenic in Cape Town. It’s also the route of the famous Cape Argus cycling tour and the Two Oceans Marathon.

Ocean meets ocean at the Cape of Good Hope

The Cape of Good Hope, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Indian Ocean, is the southernmost tip of the Cape Peninsula and also a nature reserve. A snapshot at the lighthouse with the two oceans in the background makes for a memorable holiday moment.

Cape Point

A hive of activity at the V&A Waterfront

A working harbour and one of the trendiest areas in Cape Town, the V&A Waterfront is always bustling. While cruise ships dock, relax on a restaurant terrace to the sights and sounds of a free tribal performance at the open-air amphitheatre.

Dock Road, Foreshore, Cape Town 8100

Penguins at Boulders Beach

Meet Cape Town’s colony of penguins as they walk, swim and bray on Boulders Beach. With gigantic granite boulders keeping the waves at bay, this pristine beach is ideal for children. Come at sunset to see the birds retire to their nests.

Boulders Beach, Simon’s Town

Township life in Khayelitsha

Visit Khayelitsha, Cape Town’s largest township, and discover what goes on behind the townspeople’s doors. Sangomas (traditional healers) and shabeens (bars) offer a broader view of the Cape communities.

Unexpected finds at Greenpoint Market

Every Sunday the parking lot opposite Greenpoint Stadium fills with hundreds of vendors hawking anything from locally crafted masks to Chinese imports. Poke around and you’re likely to spot that unexpected bargain.